June 26, 2011

It's like a tricorder!*

Guess what?? We're leaving for the U.K. on Friday! Whoot! (Andrew's Note: Water Closet! Colour! Loo! Blimey! Do I speak British yet?) Have we packed yet? Nope. Did we get new cell phones this week? Yes. Was this in the budget? Nope. (But neither were the 4 other phones I've lost... or had thrown in the toilet (cough) by my public school band kids.) So this week, we decided to forego groceries for new cellphones. (Yay for mystery frozen-ness in the icebox. (Is "icebox" British?)) We were up for upgrades and discovered that getting a cellphone these days can be quite the expensive undertaking. If you've not visited your local ATT store recently, you're in for a shock of $50-$150 for a new cellphone, and that's even when you qualify for an upgrade! (Not to mention 2 chargers, 2 cases, and 2 screen protectors...) We're teachers!

Michael Douglas is on the cutting edge of technology. Forget Zach Morris.

Anway, my all-knowing (Yes.) husband said we should check Radio Shack and he was right... Super cheap! No gimics! But just to keep the ATT people guessing, we went back to their store twice. Suckers. Anywho, we each got the HTC Inspire for $30! (It's a $575 phone and ATT charges you $100 for it (and half your discount comes in the mail in an AT&T promo card) and Wal Mart charges $50)

Lesson = go to Radio Shack. (This is another bottom-line-take-home-money-saver-thing like my post about TV Antennas and cables. Radio Shack has less selection but the prices are the best around and their insurance/battery, etc. plans are usually better and cheaper, too. Your saved money from antennas, cables, and cell phones can be sent to the "Send Andrew and Allison to Another Foreign Country Because Now THEY Have to Pay For It" fund, LLC. We are a 512R For-Profit entity, entirely NOT tax deductable. Please and thank you.)

Moving on. This phone is pretty amazing. I'm pretty sure it's already figured out how to take over my house and make an app out of our couch.

Phone: Download complete, living room couch is officially an app.Me: .... Wait. What?Phone: I have taken the liberty of syncing Couch App with Facebook and Twitter, additionally it will now communicate with Fridge App regarding all meals henceforth.Me. Um... but.Phone: Bing! Message!Me: Clicks message.Phone: Fridge has hummus and celery ready for snack.Me: But...Phone: Couch App sensed stomach vibrations.Phone: Bing!Me: Checks message. Phone: Couch App has found coordinating pillows at etsy.com as well as a local Salvation Army to donate the current pillows to. Me: But I like the pillows!Phone: Salvation Army has been contacted and is expecting donations at 2 PM tomorrow.Me: Frik!Phone: Bing! Facebook Message!Facebook: Friend suggestions: Redmon Couch and Redmon Fridge are friends with @AndrewRedmon, make them your friend??Me: (Calls across house).... "Andrew!! Don't encourage them!" Facebook: Bing! Event Invite!Facebook: Friday night movie night with hors d'evours, Couch and Fridge and @AndrewRedmon attending.

You get the picture. Evidently, Andrew and I have been living in the 20th century up until yesterday. We're slowly becoming those people you see with their noses glued to their phone screen. It's probably a good thing we won't be using them in the UK. Me: "Look, there's Big Ben!" Andrew: "Shh... I've got it pulled up on the GoogleEarth App."

A 23rd century cassette tape recor.....I mean tricorder.

(Annnnnd here it comes.....)All of that said though, the phone really reminds me of the Star Trek Tricorder. And if you're reading this and haven't read my homage to Star Trek, click here *** Nerd Post***. Tricorders, for the non-nerds in the group, were those scanning devices used by Federation officers to explain the universe. And I feel that the HTC Inspire does just that. Explains.....my universe.

(Hang on while I gag for a minute........) (Hey, me too!)

Its like a laptop, Nook, Ipad, GPS, Facebook and yes, a phone... all rolled into one darned efficient little machine. (I like how you have to press a button to make it actually be a phone.) Did I mention it has all 61 of my current Nook books on it already??!! I'm not sure how I survived the last 28 years without this thing! (Ok, we have to go...Couch App says Won Ton is lifting his leg on the edge of the couch - Alert! Alert!)